Informing the pandemic response: the role of the WHO’s COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update

Juniorcaius Ikejezie; Alessandro Miglietta; Ingrid Hammermeister Nezu; Sandra Adele; Melissa M. Higdon; Daniel Feikin; Harsh Lata; Samuel Mesfin; Friday Idoko; Kazuki Shimizu; Ayse Acma; Samuel Moro; Homa Attar Cohen; Mary Anissa Sinnathamby; James Richard Otieno; Yosef Temre; Brian Ngongheh Ajong; Bernadette Basuta Mirembe; Tondri Noe Guinko; Vaishali Sodagar; Craig Schultz; Joao Muianga; Stéphane De Barros; Aura Rocio Escobar Corado Waeber; Yeowon Jin; Anahi Rico Chinchilla; Yurie Izawa; Shagun Khare; Marcia Poole; Nyka Alexander; Silviu Ciobanu; Tshewang Dorji; Mahmoud Hassan; Masaya Kato; Tamano Matsui; Opeayo Ogundiran; Richard G. Pebody; Manilay Phengxay; Ana Riviere-Cinnamond; Blanche Johanna Greene-Cramer; Emilie Peron; Brett Nicholas Archer; Lorenzo Subissi; Zyleen Alnashir Kassamali; Adedoyin Awofisayo-Okuyelu; Olivier le Polain de Waroux; Esther Hamblion; Boris Igor Pavlin; Oliver Morgan; Ibrahima Socé Fall; Maria D. Van Kerkhove; Abdi Mahamud

doi:10.1136/bmjgh-2023-014466

Informing the pandemic response: the role of the WHO’s COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update

Juniorcaius Ikejezie^*, Alessandro Miglietta, Ingrid Hammermeister Nezu, Sandra Adele, Melissa M. Higdon, Daniel Feikin, Harsh Lata, Samuel Mesfin, Friday Idoko, Kazuki Shimizu, Ayse Acma, Samuel Moro, Homa Attar Cohen, Mary Anissa Sinnathamby, James Richard Otieno, Yosef Temre, Brian Ngongheh Ajong, Bernadette Basuta Mirembe, Tondri Noe Guinko, Vaishali SodagarCraig Schultz, Joao Muianga, Stéphane De Barros, Aura Rocio Escobar Corado Waeber, Yeowon Jin, Anahi Rico Chinchilla, Yurie Izawa, Shagun Khare, Marcia Poole, Nyka Alexander, Silviu Ciobanu, Tshewang Dorji, Mahmoud Hassan, Masaya Kato, Tamano Matsui, Opeayo Ogundiran, Richard G. Pebody, Manilay Phengxay, Ana Riviere-Cinnamond, Blanche Johanna Greene-Cramer, Emilie Peron, Brett Nicholas Archer, Lorenzo Subissi, Zyleen Alnashir Kassamali, Adedoyin Awofisayo-Okuyelu, Olivier le Polain de Waroux, Esther Hamblion, Boris Igor Pavlin, Oliver Morgan, Ibrahima Socé Fall, Maria D. Van Kerkhove, Abdi Mahamud

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

On 31 December 2019, the Municipal Health Commission of Wuhan, China, reported a cluster of atypical pneumonia cases. On 5 January 2020, the WHO publicly released a Disease Outbreak News (DON) report, providing information about the pneumonia cases, implemented response interventions, and WHO’s risk assessment and advice on public health and social measures. Following 9 additional DON reports and 209 daily situation reports, on 17 August 2020, WHO published the first edition of the COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update (WEU). On 1 September 2023, the 158th edition of the WEU was published on WHO’s website, marking its final issue. Since then, the WEU has been replaced by comprehensive global epidemiological updates on COVID-19 released every 4 weeks. During the span of its publication, the webpage that hosts the WEU and the COVID-19 Operational Updates was accessed annually over 1.4 million times on average, with visits originating from more than 100 countries. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the WEU process, from data collection to publication, focusing on the scope, technical details, main features, underlying methods, impact and limitations. We also discuss WHO’s experience in disseminating epidemiological information on the COVID-19 pandemic at the global level and provide recommendations for enhancing collaboration and information sharing to support future health emergency responses.

Original language	English
Article number	e014466
Journal	BMJ Global Health
Volume	9
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2023-014466
Publication status	Published - 4 Apr 2024
Externally published	Yes

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Publisher Copyright:
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024.

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This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Ikejezie, J., Miglietta, A., Nezu, I. H., Adele, S., Higdon, M. M., Feikin, D., Lata, H., Mesfin, S., Idoko, F., Shimizu, K., Acma, A., Moro, S., Cohen, H. A., Sinnathamby, M. A., Otieno, J. R., Temre, Y., Ajong, B. N., Mirembe, B. B., Guinko, T. N., ... Mahamud, A. (2024). Informing the pandemic response: the role of the WHO’s COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update. BMJ Global Health, 9(4), Article e014466. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2023-014466

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title = "Informing the pandemic response: the role of the WHO{\textquoteright}s COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update",

abstract = "On 31 December 2019, the Municipal Health Commission of Wuhan, China, reported a cluster of atypical pneumonia cases. On 5 January 2020, the WHO publicly released a Disease Outbreak News (DON) report, providing information about the pneumonia cases, implemented response interventions, and WHO{\textquoteright}s risk assessment and advice on public health and social measures. Following 9 additional DON reports and 209 daily situation reports, on 17 August 2020, WHO published the first edition of the COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update (WEU). On 1 September 2023, the 158th edition of the WEU was published on WHO{\textquoteright}s website, marking its final issue. Since then, the WEU has been replaced by comprehensive global epidemiological updates on COVID-19 released every 4 weeks. During the span of its publication, the webpage that hosts the WEU and the COVID-19 Operational Updates was accessed annually over 1.4 million times on average, with visits originating from more than 100 countries. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the WEU process, from data collection to publication, focusing on the scope, technical details, main features, underlying methods, impact and limitations. We also discuss WHO{\textquoteright}s experience in disseminating epidemiological information on the COVID-19 pandemic at the global level and provide recommendations for enhancing collaboration and information sharing to support future health emergency responses.",

author = "Juniorcaius Ikejezie and Alessandro Miglietta and Nezu, {Ingrid Hammermeister} and Sandra Adele and Higdon, {Melissa M.} and Daniel Feikin and Harsh Lata and Samuel Mesfin and Friday Idoko and Kazuki Shimizu and Ayse Acma and Samuel Moro and Cohen, {Homa Attar} and Sinnathamby, {Mary Anissa} and Otieno, {James Richard} and Yosef Temre and Ajong, {Brian Ngongheh} and Mirembe, {Bernadette Basuta} and Guinko, {Tondri Noe} and Vaishali Sodagar and Craig Schultz and Joao Muianga and {De Barros}, St{\'e}phane and Waeber, {Aura Rocio Escobar Corado} and Yeowon Jin and Chinchilla, {Anahi Rico} and Yurie Izawa and Shagun Khare and Marcia Poole and Nyka Alexander and Silviu Ciobanu and Tshewang Dorji and Mahmoud Hassan and Masaya Kato and Tamano Matsui and Opeayo Ogundiran and Pebody, {Richard G.} and Manilay Phengxay and Ana Riviere-Cinnamond and Greene-Cramer, {Blanche Johanna} and Emilie Peron and Archer, {Brett Nicholas} and Lorenzo Subissi and Kassamali, {Zyleen Alnashir} and Adedoyin Awofisayo-Okuyelu and {de Waroux}, {Olivier le Polain} and Esther Hamblion and Pavlin, {Boris Igor} and Oliver Morgan and Fall, {Ibrahima Soc{\'e}} and {Van Kerkhove}, {Maria D.} and Abdi Mahamud",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024.",

year = "2024",

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language = "English",

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Ikejezie, J, Miglietta, A, Nezu, IH, Adele, S, Higdon, MM, Feikin, D, Lata, H, Mesfin, S, Idoko, F, Shimizu, K, Acma, A, Moro, S, Cohen, HA, Sinnathamby, MA, Otieno, JR, Temre, Y, Ajong, BN, Mirembe, BB, Guinko, TN, Sodagar, V, Schultz, C, Muianga, J, De Barros, S, Waeber, AREC, Jin, Y, Chinchilla, AR, Izawa, Y, Khare, S, Poole, M, Alexander, N, Ciobanu, S, Dorji, T, Hassan, M, Kato, M, Matsui, T, Ogundiran, O, Pebody, RG, Phengxay, M, Riviere-Cinnamond, A, Greene-Cramer, BJ, Peron, E, Archer, BN, Subissi, L, Kassamali, ZA, Awofisayo-Okuyelu, A, de Waroux, OLP, Hamblion, E, Pavlin, BI, Morgan, O, Fall, IS, Van Kerkhove, MD & Mahamud, A 2024, 'Informing the pandemic response: the role of the WHO’s COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update', BMJ Global Health, vol. 9, no. 4, e014466. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2023-014466

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T1 - Informing the pandemic response

T2 - the role of the WHO’s COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update

AU - Ikejezie, Juniorcaius

AU - Miglietta, Alessandro

AU - Nezu, Ingrid Hammermeister

AU - Adele, Sandra

AU - Higdon, Melissa M.

AU - Feikin, Daniel

AU - Lata, Harsh

AU - Mesfin, Samuel

AU - Idoko, Friday

AU - Shimizu, Kazuki

AU - Acma, Ayse

AU - Moro, Samuel

AU - Cohen, Homa Attar

AU - Sinnathamby, Mary Anissa

AU - Otieno, James Richard

AU - Temre, Yosef

AU - Ajong, Brian Ngongheh

AU - Mirembe, Bernadette Basuta

AU - Guinko, Tondri Noe

AU - Sodagar, Vaishali

AU - Schultz, Craig

AU - Muianga, Joao

AU - De Barros, Stéphane

AU - Waeber, Aura Rocio Escobar Corado

AU - Jin, Yeowon

AU - Chinchilla, Anahi Rico

AU - Izawa, Yurie

AU - Khare, Shagun

AU - Poole, Marcia

AU - Alexander, Nyka

AU - Ciobanu, Silviu

AU - Dorji, Tshewang

AU - Hassan, Mahmoud

AU - Kato, Masaya

AU - Matsui, Tamano

AU - Ogundiran, Opeayo

AU - Pebody, Richard G.

AU - Phengxay, Manilay

AU - Riviere-Cinnamond, Ana

AU - Greene-Cramer, Blanche Johanna

AU - Peron, Emilie

AU - Archer, Brett Nicholas

AU - Subissi, Lorenzo

AU - Kassamali, Zyleen Alnashir

AU - Awofisayo-Okuyelu, Adedoyin

AU - de Waroux, Olivier le Polain

AU - Hamblion, Esther

AU - Pavlin, Boris Igor

AU - Morgan, Oliver

AU - Fall, Ibrahima Socé

AU - Van Kerkhove, Maria D.

AU - Mahamud, Abdi

PY - 2024/4/4

Y1 - 2024/4/4

N2 - On 31 December 2019, the Municipal Health Commission of Wuhan, China, reported a cluster of atypical pneumonia cases. On 5 January 2020, the WHO publicly released a Disease Outbreak News (DON) report, providing information about the pneumonia cases, implemented response interventions, and WHO’s risk assessment and advice on public health and social measures. Following 9 additional DON reports and 209 daily situation reports, on 17 August 2020, WHO published the first edition of the COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update (WEU). On 1 September 2023, the 158th edition of the WEU was published on WHO’s website, marking its final issue. Since then, the WEU has been replaced by comprehensive global epidemiological updates on COVID-19 released every 4 weeks. During the span of its publication, the webpage that hosts the WEU and the COVID-19 Operational Updates was accessed annually over 1.4 million times on average, with visits originating from more than 100 countries. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the WEU process, from data collection to publication, focusing on the scope, technical details, main features, underlying methods, impact and limitations. We also discuss WHO’s experience in disseminating epidemiological information on the COVID-19 pandemic at the global level and provide recommendations for enhancing collaboration and information sharing to support future health emergency responses.

AB - On 31 December 2019, the Municipal Health Commission of Wuhan, China, reported a cluster of atypical pneumonia cases. On 5 January 2020, the WHO publicly released a Disease Outbreak News (DON) report, providing information about the pneumonia cases, implemented response interventions, and WHO’s risk assessment and advice on public health and social measures. Following 9 additional DON reports and 209 daily situation reports, on 17 August 2020, WHO published the first edition of the COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update (WEU). On 1 September 2023, the 158th edition of the WEU was published on WHO’s website, marking its final issue. Since then, the WEU has been replaced by comprehensive global epidemiological updates on COVID-19 released every 4 weeks. During the span of its publication, the webpage that hosts the WEU and the COVID-19 Operational Updates was accessed annually over 1.4 million times on average, with visits originating from more than 100 countries. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the WEU process, from data collection to publication, focusing on the scope, technical details, main features, underlying methods, impact and limitations. We also discuss WHO’s experience in disseminating epidemiological information on the COVID-19 pandemic at the global level and provide recommendations for enhancing collaboration and information sharing to support future health emergency responses.

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VL - 9

JO - BMJ Global Health

JF - BMJ Global Health

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Informing the pandemic response: the role of the WHO’s COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

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